All right, this is a first for me - and if I didn't kind of need it to be true to the scene, I would have omitted it altogether. The using of exact dialogue from City of Ashes, that is. It's not much, pretty much the beginning of the phone call between Jace and Simon only. So I'm going to give credit where it's due now. It's from the aforementioned book by Cassandra Clare. And I'm going to take a hot mental shower now, so I don't feel so dirty about having to do it.

Otherwise, here you go.


Magnus cleared his throat, looming over the back of the couch.

Alec started awake, blinking at the TV set - the same program he'd remembered watching a minute ago still playing. So he hadn't been out long. He didn't remember falling asleep. Much less falling asleep on Jace's shoulder.

"Come on, little shadowhunters. Daddy's got work to do," Magnus drawled, looking unamused despite the sarcasm.

" 'Daddy?' " Jace repeated, with a snicker.

" 'Work?' " Alec got out, rubbing his eyes. He shifted to look back at Magnus, and cringed. The warlock had his arms crossed beneath a very glittery cape, glaring at him.

What? He hadn't done anything this time!

"Thanks for parroting back everything I say. Now get your butts ready. The mini van is leaving in five minutes," Magnus related. Jace got up quickly and snatched up his bag, heading to the bathroom.

Alec continued to blink up at Magnus, who hadn't moved.

"What's going on?"

"Cuddling on my couch?"

"I just fell asleep."

"Convenient."

"Magnus--"

"I need to pick some things up. You don't have to come. But Jace is attached at the hip until I hear otherwise."

"I'll come with you," Alec said, getting up.

A phone started buzzing on the table. Alec flinched, reaching into his back pocket to make sure it wasn't his. Nope. It was still there.

Moving over toward the sound, he realized it was Jace's phone, sitting out. Then the bathroom door flew open, Jace running at a sprint towards the phone. Could he hear it vibrating from that far away? Alec moved clear of him as Jace reached out, grabbed it, and flipped it open in one impatient move.

"Clary?" Pause. "Clary, are you all right?" Alec watched him with concern, Magnus with a bored glance, then he crossed his arms across his chest again, trying to voice his impatience.

"Clary. I thought you were avoiding me--" So Clary was the one he'd been calling so often, the reason he kept checking his phone and kept it close at hand. Not that Alec was really one to talk. He did the same for Magnus. Only, he usually didn't have to wait.

There was an even longer pause, during which the concern and relief Alec had thought he'd seen in Jace's face completely disappeared. Replaced by a hard jaw and slightly narrowed eyes. What did she say? One of Jace's fists clenched and unclenched.

"I'm here," Jace replied cooly. Alec carefully sat back down on the couch. He was used to the pair of them blowing hot and cold. Flirting and fighting, bickering and then being oddly affectionate. It would have been a weird relationship, even without their...blood relationship, thrown in to make it confusing and tense.

Magnus was tapping his foot now. Jace briefly turned his gold eyes on him in irritation, but the warlock merely stared back, brows raised.

"If you're calling me up just to chat, mundane, you must be lonelier than I thought."

Mundane. He meant Simon. Although 'vampire' would have been more technically accurate. Though perhaps not as insulting.

"Is she all right?" That little crease in his forehead, there and gone so quickly he wasn't sure if he'd just imagined it should be there or if he'd actually seen it - Alec thought it was concern. But then Jace's expression hardened again, as did his voice. "If something's happened to her--"

Obviously Simon had cut him off. Alec couldn't help eavesdropping, watching Jace's face shift minutely one more time, his eyes just looking...focused. He was listening to Simon, actually listening to him without any teasing asides or remarks, which meant it must be important.

Alec shot a look at Magnus again, who was also watching Jace now. With his acute hearing, could he...hear Simon, on the other side of the phone? It seemed likely, because the longer Jace listened, and the longer they waited, the more Magnus seemed absorbed in the conversation. Or in his own thoughts.

Then he was speaking fast, giving Simon...care instructions? Talking about cleaning wounds, removing debris, and a home remedy (that sounded more like a heavy mix of alochol) he could offer.

Then Jace hung up, recapping it for them. Maia had been attacked by a Drevak demon and Luke was trying to care for her. Although it was more fussing than helpful. What could a werewolf, even a pack leader, do for her on his own? Add to that a vampire in close proximity to all that blood and Clary...well, probably just freaking out. Because that's what she always did.

Magnus didn't balk about his previous errand, when Jace proposed they head over to Luke's. It was apparent to them all that the girl was as good as dead without their help. Jace and Alec had experience with demonic war wounds, and Magnus, even more experience with healing those inflicted by them.

Magnus looked briefly over at Alec, who looked pleadingly back at him, and he nodded, lips pursed - to show his displeasure.

"Fine. I can postpone for a few hours," Magnus grumbled. Alec smiled a little in thanks, and got up again to grab his coat. Jace was was removing the seraph blades carefully from the bag Alec had brought yesterday, sliding them into his belt.

"Come on, then, children," Magnus gestured with a sigh, heading out first, his glistening cape swirling after him. Jace was ready in a moment, taking the balance of his stuff along with him. Was he not planning on coming back?

No, he only took the bag with the weapons. His clothes were still sitting near one of the chairs in the den.

Alec scrambled after them, careful to shut off the light and lock the door of the apartment before jogging down the stairs after them.


Posting this on the sly from work, so I'll have to get to my usual responses later. Hope you enjoy. I think you know what comes next...